Cait-seaeincf machine



April 311, 1929. J. WERY CAN SEAMING MACHINE Filed March 8, 1928 2 Sheetls-Sheet l April 30, 1929. J. WERY 1,711,336

CAN SEAMING MACHINE Filed March 8, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ll l 'l ullll o Mugs) I! will nos] ion:

Patented Apr. 30, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JULES VERY, OF DEEBFZELD, ILLINOIS.

CAIl-SEAMIN-Et MACHINE.

application filed March 8,

5 clos t is covers on by a double seam, 12cm machine being partlcularly suitable for hand operation although not altogether restricted thereto.

The oljects of the invention will be best understood from the following description of embodiment ti xi, reference being had the accompanying drawings, wherein F 1 is a front elerati on of a machine embodying the invention with a can in seaming 2 is a plan view of the machine;

3 is sectional view through the seamller support along lines 3-8 in Fig. 2; i l is a fragmentary sectional View of can section, the cover and the associated portion. oi the seaming machine in position to begin the seaming operation;

. I a view similar to Figxtillustrating the position of the first preliminary seam- 1' roller and the can. po

LiOll upon which it arts at the end of the preliminary seaming operation;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating the finishing seaming roller and the can 30 portion upon which it acts in the course of the linishi seaming operation;

ig. 7 is an enlarged plan view of the seamroller mechanism of the machine in 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing p s in disassembled condition;

g. 9 is a vertical sectional view through the earning roller mechanism along the lines .ie invention will be explained by refer- 1928. Serial No. 260,002.

c nps is preferably made on a single piece o tel by die-casting, for instance.

On the cross n'iember 12 of the frame is mounted the litter plate 16 of the machine with the associated lifter i'nechanism. The lifter mechanism comprises a round lifter pin 1? longitudinally slida-ble in a perforated, enlarged bearing member 18 of the frame, id a circular litter cam 19 freely slidable on .e pin 17 and having an inclined cam surface -0 cooperating with a similar cam surface 1 on the upper end of the bearing 18. The am 19 is provided with a cam lever 23 by means of which the cam 19 may be rotated around the pin 17, thereby causing the cam to be forced upwardly along the inclined am sin-faces 20, 21. The upper end of the pin 1'? is provided with a collar 25 by means of which the pin is held in place above the cam 19, pair of washers 26 interposed between the cam and the collar 25 serving to s cure the correct spacing. One of these washers 26 is of a suitable, resilient, cushioni material, such rubber, to permit proper aopl cation of pressure to the can in the man- -iereinafter described.

The lifter pin 17 forms a short stud extending above the collar and fitting into a central perforation in the lifter plate 16 so as to hold same in place. The lifter plate 16 conutes a substantially rigid disk-like memprovided with a plurality of concentric coves 31, 32, 33 for receiving the projectedges of the lower closed ends of various machine. In the example illustrated, three such concentric grooves are shown, each for receiving a difierent size of can. A medium size can having its lower end fitting the second groove from the center is shown in position on the drawing.

In commercial practice there is a limited standard number of can sizes and the grooves are so arranged as to it the various sizes of the cans which are on the market, a single liftor plate being suflicientfor use on all the standard can sizes. Variations in the height the can taken care of by adding additional washers between the collar 25 and the upper cam surface 21 or by using washers of different height.

The cam surfs, es 20 and 21 have in addition to the inc. .ed portions also parallel. portions corresponding to the lowest and highe position of the lifter plate. In Fig.

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1 the lifting lever and cam are shown in raised position brought about by rotating the lever to the left. By turning the lever to the right thelifter plate may be lowered. The upper ends of the uprights 13 of the frame terminate in threaded studs 35, 86 which lit into per forations in a transverse member 37 which forms an upper cross member for the frame, the transverse member being held in place by means of nuts 38.

The upper frame member 37 is provided With a bearing 41 located. directly above the lower bearing 18. In this upper bearing ll is mounted a chuck spindle 42 to the upper end of which is bolted a bevel gear $3. The chuck spindle 4:2 is held in place by an enlarged head portion 45 acting on the under surface of the bearing -1. To the under surface of the chuck spindle 12 is clamped by means of a countersunk screw a6 a driving chuck plate i7 having an outer circular knurled rim adapted to engage the inner portion of the can cover as shown in detail in Fig. 10. The driving chuck plate at? is prevented from rotation against the chuck spindle l2 by means of pins &9 secured to the spindle -12 and fitting into suitable holes in the chuck plate.

As seen in Fig. 10, the chuck plate at? may be readily removed or replaced by another plate by simply loosening the single screw i6 by which it is clamped in place. Accordingly one driving chuck plate may be readily replaced by another driving chuck plate corresponding to the different sizes of the covers on the cans that are to be closed without extended manipulation on the machine. The driving chuck plate is arranged to be rotated by means of a pinion 51 engaging the bevel gear 43, the pinion being rotated by a shaft 52 journaled on two upstanding lugs 53 of the upper transverse member. A crank 54; mounted on the free end of the shaft 52 serves to rotate the same.

In order to perform seaming operations a can 55 as shown in Fig. 1 is placed on the top of the lifter plate 16 with the lower edges of the can fitting in a groove corresponding to its size. the lifting lever 23 being to the right with the lifting cam in its lowest position. it-h the can so located in place the lifting lever is turned to the left thereby raising the can on the upper opening of which a can cover, as shown in, detail in Fi 10 and Fig 4:, previously was placed. This forces the driving chuck plate into the depression formed by the can cover 57 and brings the outer rim thereof into engagement with the vertical inner rim portion 5 of the cover. In forcing the can into its upper position the driving chuck tends to bring the initially flat outer edge of the can into the curl of the seam fold on the outer edge of the cover. The use of the substantially rigid lifter plate 16 combined wit-h the resiliency afforded through the interposed rubber washer 26 materially assists in securing proper alignment of the edges of the can and of the cover that are to be seamed. The resilient rubber washer permits the slight shortening of the can accompanying this infolding operation while maintaining the entire can in fixed position and locating it positively relative tothe rim of the driving chuck plate in order to secure reliable and accurate double seaming of the can and cover edges, 1 utilize a novel seaming mechanism G0 in cluding a pair of sean'iing rollers (51 and ($2 mounted on a seaming roller suppo; ting plate 63, as shown in detai in 3 and T to 9. T here are two seaming rollers the prelimi nary seaming roller (51 a nd the finishing seaming roller (52. Each seaming roller is rotatably mounted between a pair of jaws on a rectangularly-shaped roller carrier 66 fitting into a rectangular groove 67 on the upper side of the supporting plate The roller is freely rotatable on a pin 68 fined between the jaws 65. T 1e upper side of the roller carrier is flush with the upper surface of the supporting plate the latter constituting two onlarged chambers 69 in which the rollers with the associated carriers have positive longitudinal sliding movement and guidance. Each carrier has a rear or tail portion T2 of reduced thickness :aibstantially correspond ing to the thickne" of the lower 'ja w.

The upper surface of the rear portion of Lira supporting plate is substantially flush with the upper surface of the tail portions of the carriers.

Resting directly on the upper surface of the rear portion of the supporting plate is a segmental driving Jlate that is centrally jOUl aled on a hollow pin 76 extending through a suitable perforation in the supporting plate (33. The thickness of the driving plate corrcspends approximately to the height of a sean'iing roller, and the upper surface of the driving plate is accordingly below the level of the front portion of the supporti plate by an amount corresponding approximately to the thickness of the upper jaws on the roller carriers.

The segmental driving plate 75 is further provided with two of pin holes 81 and 82 arranged to receive pins 83 on two links and 85, constituting the driving connection between the carriers 66 ofthe two seaming rollers and driving plate 75 The thicl-mess of the links corresponds approximately to the thickness of the upper jaw of the carrier so that when the links are in place the lower surfaces thereof are on the level of the upper surface of the driving plate and the upper surfaces of the links are on the level of the upper surface of the front portion of the supporting plate and of the carriers. The front ends of the links are provided with perforations 86 fitting and engaging pins 87 ex lllt) tending from a depressed part 88 on the front portion of the carriers. The rear pin 83 on the links 84: and 85 may have the form of a removable screw pin 89 mounted in a cooperating perforation in the rear portion of the links. The rear ends of the side walls 91 constituting the guiding grooves for the seaming rollers and carriers form stops 93 for the front edges ill of the segmental driving plate "T5, small adjusting screws 95 threaded into the rear ends of the side walls 91 pernittingclose setting of the stopping points. The guiding grooves oi: the carriers (i6 are somewhat cut away in the rear, at 96, to permit lateral swinging movement of the links when actuated by the driving segment 75. I; lever 99 on the driving segment pernnes swinging or rocking thereof around the pin T 6 in either one or the other direction.

The driving mechanism described above is arranged that when in assembled condition it has two parallel flat upper and lower bounding surfaces, as shown in Figs. 3 and 9. By rocking the lever 99 around the pin 76 either one of the roller carriers 6o may be slid forward in its guide groove on the supporting plate, the other carrier and roller being at the same time withdrawn to the rear. By placing the rear pin of the link in any one of be different holes 81 and 82, respectively, the limits of the movement of the carriers and the associated seaming rollers may be varied and its forward position readily advanced or brought back. The entire seaming roller mechanism arranged for mounting of the under side of the transverse member 37 and so dimensioned that the seaming rollers may be brought into action against the seaming edges of the can top that are to he seamed, as indicated in Fig. 1 and Figs. 1 to 6.

In the example shown in the drawing this effected by sliding the supporting plate with the hollow pin 76 over the stud 35 on tne L 1.. ht 13 of the frame prior to mounting the transverse member 37 in place. Anadditi nal screw 101 threaded through a perforation in the transverse member 37 into a threaded hole 102 on the middle rib 1030f the sup plate definitely locates the position of o with respect to the frame and holds inily in place.

With the foregoing arrangement the seaming operation is carried on as follows:

After placing the can in raised position by means of the lifter lever, as explained above. the crank 541 is rotated thereby rotating the driving chuck plate and therethrongh the can and its lowersupport. Thereupon the seaming lever swung to the right, a viewed in lfns. 1 and 2 bringing first the prell11ll31EL1 Yi;-fo 11 ng roller61againstthe seaming edges of the can top and turning the. same until. the lever 99 has been fully brought to a sin; by abutment against the stopping pin 95. lVith the lever in this position the can is rotated several times until, the folds of the seaming edges have been fully brought into the position determined by the contour of the preliminary seaming roller. This is the position indicated approximately on Fig. 5 of the drawing.

\Vith this preliminary seaming operation performed the lever 35 is, than sv: to the left withdrawing the preliminary seaming roller from the can top and bringing against it the finishing sean'i ng roller 62, thereby compressing the formed seams and completing the hermetieal double seam jointbetween the can top and the can. The pressure on the lever 99 is continued until it is brought to a stop by abutment against the other stopping pin 95 in which position the can is given several turns in order to perfect the seam. This finishes the seaming operation and the can may be released by pushing the lever 99 to neutral position and lowering the lifter plate 16.

The foregoing arrangement permits ready adaptation of the machine for closing different sizes of cans without dismantling or tale ing the same apart. For instance, if a can of a next larger size than that shown in the drawing is desired to be closed, the screw 46 is loosened and another driving plate 47 of somewhat diamter is mounted on the chuck spindle 42 in place of that shown in the drawing. Therenpon the pin screws 89 are loosened and the perforations in the rear portions of the links are brongit over holes 531. 82 on the driving plate 75 corresponding to the larger size can whereupon the pin .CiOWS 89 are again screwed in place into thecorresponds to one particular size of can just a: the grooves 31 to 33 in the lifter plate 16 correspond to each particular size of can. In this way the range of forward movement of the tvo seaming rollers .ay be readily adjusted for the different of the cans that are to be closed without dismantling the machine. 7

The machine of the foregoing construction is highly efficient and per nits quick seai'ning of. cans as well as rapid adjustment of scaming operations conformii'ig to various of cans. The particular construction of the seaming mechanism is in trumental in securin; perfect closure i of the cans.

i invention is not limited to the particut of construction and arrangements scribed hereinabovc but is sns eptible of iy iiu rlificat1ons. l accordingly desire that the appended claims be given a broad construction conmiensurate with the scope of the invention.

I claim: 1. In a can seaming machine. a seaming mechanism comprising a supporting member,

lar de a plurality of seaming rollers arranged to be guided on said supporting member, a driving member, a driving connection between said driving member and said rollers arranged to alternately move the same to forward or rear position, and means for independently limiting the range of the forward movement of said rollers.

2. ln a can seaming machine, a seaming mechanism comprising a supporting mem her, a plurality of seaming rollers arranged to be guided on said supporting member, a driving member, a driving connection between said driving member and said rollers arranged to alternately move the same to forward or rear position, and means for in dependently varying the limits of the move ment of said rollers.

3. In a can seaming machine, a supporting member, a plurality of seaming rollers arranged to be guided on said supporting member, a driving member, links connecting said rollers to said driving member, and means for independently limiting the range of the forward movement of said rollers.

4. In a can seaming machine, a supporting member, a plurality of seaming rollers arranged to be guided on said supporting memher, a driving member, connecting links b tween said seaming rollers and said driving member arranged to alternately bring said rollers to forward position, and means for independently limiting the range of the forward movement of said rollers.

5. In a can seaming machine, a supporting member, a plurality of seaming rollers arranged to be guided on said srmporting mem her, a driving member, and connecting links between said seaming rollers and said driving member arranged to alternately bring said rollers to forward position, said links being arranged to be adjustably positioned on said. driving member to vary the limit of the forward movement of said rollers.

6. In a can seaming machine, a support ing frame, a pair of seaming rollers arranged to be guided on said frame for performing seaming operations, a driving member for said scamii'ig rollers for alternately bring ing the same to forward-scaming or rear inoperative position, and a driving connection between said seaming rollers and said driving means to independently vary the range of the forward movement of said seaming rollers.

7. In a can seaming machine, a supporting frame, a pair of seaming rollers arranged to be guided on said frame for performing seaming operations, a driving member for said seaming rollers for alternately bringing the same to forwarc seaming or rear inoperative position, and a driving connection between said seaming rollers and said driving means arranged to independently vary the range of the forward movement of each of an id seaming rollers.

8. In a can seaming machine of the class tecribed, a frame, a driving chuck plate on said frame, a substantially rigid lifter plate numnted opposite said chuck plate on said frame, and a driving mechanism for said lifter plate comprising a lifter pin journaled in said fra no, a circular cam on sail l pin, and a washer o, res lient fnbs'lance on said pin for transmitting the action of said cam on said lifter plate.

9. In a can seaming machine of the class bed, a supporting frame, a transverse 02 on one s-idc oi? the name, a driving chuck plate mounted on said transverse memher, a lifter plate on said frame opposite said chuck plate, means supported on said transmember for rotatably driving said chuck plate, and a seaming roller mechanism supported on the ndcr side of said transverse member, said seam' roller mechanism comp! ng two seaming roller arranged to be brought into seaming position opposite the rim of said chuck plate, a seaming roller driving member supported on said frame, and a drivi connection between said sean'iing roll-- 2) crs and said driving member, said driving connection permitting adjustment of the ot the forward movement of the seaming rollers.

10. In a can seaming machine of the class described, a supporting frame, a removable tnmsvcirie memb :r on one side of the frame, a driving chuck plate mounted on said transve'w member, a lifter plate on said frame opposite said chuck plate, means supported on said transverse member for rotatably driving said chuck plate, and a seaming roller mechanism supported on the under side of said transverse member, said seaming roller mechanism con'iprising a supporting member, a pair of seaming rollers arranged to be guided on said supporting member for forward forward seaming position, means for limit-- ing' the range of movement for said driving member to vary the limit of the forward positions of said sear iing rollers, and an adiust able driving conncctir 1 between said scaming rollers and said driving member.

11. In a can seaming machine of the class described, a supporting frame, a t reverse mend: r on one side of the frame, driving chuck plate mounted on said transverse meni her, a lifter plate on saidframe opposite said chuck, means supported on said transverse member for rotatably drivin said chuck plate, and a sean'iing roller mechanism supported on the under side of said transverse member, said seaming roller mechanism comprising a supporting member, a pair of seaming rollers arranged to be guided on said supporting member for forward movement into seaming position against the rim of said chuck plate, a seaming roller driving member for alternately bringing either one or the other of said seaming rollers into forward seaming position, means for limiting the range of movement for said driving member to vary the limit of the forward positions of said seaming rollers, and a link driving connection between said seaming rollers and said driving member.

12. In a can seaming machine of the class described, a supporting frame, a removable transverse member on said frame, a driving chuck plate mounted on said transverse member, a lifter plate on said frame, opposite said chuck plate, means supported on said transverse member for rotatably driving said chuck plate, and a seamingroller mechanism supported on the under side of said transverse member, said seaming roller mechanism comprising a supporting memher, a pair of seaming rollers arranged to be guided on said supporting member for forward movement into seaming position against the rim of said chuck plate, a seaming roller driving member for alternately bringingeither one or the other of said seaming rollers into forward seaming position, means for limiting the range of movement for said driving member to vary the limit of the forward positions of said seaming rollers, a link connection between said driving memr and said seaming rollers, and means for l, fixing the connection between said links and said driving member to vary the range of the forward movement of said rollers.

13. In a can seaming machine of the class dcsii'ribed, a supporting frame, a transverse member on one side of the frame, a driving chuck plate mounted on said transverse member, a lifter plate on said frame opposite said ch ck plate, means supported on said transverse member for rotatably driving said chuck plate, and a seaming roller mechanism supported on the under s de of said trans verse member, said seaming roller mechanism comprising a supporting member, a iair of seaming rollers arranged to be guided on said supporting member for forward movement into seaming position against the rim of said chuck plate, a seaming roller d1 ving member for alternately bringing either one or the other of said seaming rollers into forward seaming position, means for limit ng the range of movement for said driving member to vary the limit of the forward positions of said seaming rollers, a link connection between said driving member and said seaming rollers, and means for adiustably fixing the connection between said links and said drivingmember to in dependently vary the range of the forward movement of said rollers.

let. In a can seaming machine, a supporting member, a plurality of carrier members movably supported on said supporting member, a seaming roller on each of said carrier members, each of said carrier members being independently movable between a forward position wherein the associated seaming roller is in seaming position and the rear position wherein the seaming roller is out of seaming position, a driving lever pivotally mounted on said supporting mem her, a plurality of links individually connecting said driving lever to said carrier members arranged to alternately bring said rollers into seaming position, and means for independently limiting the range of the forward movement of each of said rollers.

15. In a can seaming machine, a supporting member, a plurality of carrier members movably supported on said supporting member, a seaming roller on each of said carrier members, each of said carrier members being independently movable between a forward position wherein the associated seaming roller is in seaming position and the rear position wherein the seaming roller is out of seaming position, a driving lever pivotally mounted on said supporting member, a pinrality of links individually connecting said driving lever to said carrier members arranged to alternately bring said rollers into seaming position, means for independently limiting the range of the forward movement of each of said rollers, and means for ad justably varying the range of the angular movement of said lever.

16. In a can seaming machine, a supporting member, a plurality of carrier members movably supported on said supporting member, a seaming roller on each of said carrier members, each of said carrier members being independently movable between a forward position wherein the associated seaming roller is in seaming position and the rear position wherein the seaming roller is out of seaming position, a driving lever pivotally mounted on said supporting member, a plurality of links individually connecting said driving lever to said carrier members arranged to alternately bring said rollers into seaming position, means for independently limiting the range of the forward movement of each of said rollers, and means for adjustably varying the connections of said links between said driving lever and said carrier members to independently vary the range of the movement of said rollers.

17. In a can seaming machine of the class described, a supporting frame, a transverse member on one side of the frame, a driving chuck plate mounted on said transverse member, a lifter plate on said frame opposite said chuck plate, means supported on said member for rotatably driving said chuck plate, a pair of roller carriers movably supported on said frame, a seaming roller on each of said carriers, said carriers being independently m0v able in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said chuck plate into a sean'iii'ig position against the rim of said chuck plate, a driving lever pivotally mounted in said frame, and an independent link connection between each of said carriers and said driving lever arranged to alternately bring said seaming rollers into seaming position upon predetern'iincd angular movement of said driving lever, and means for independently determining the limit of the forward movement of each of said rollers into seaming position.

18. In a can seaming machine of the class described, a supporting frame, a transverse member on one side of the frame, a driving chuck plate mounted. on said transverse member, a lifter plate on said frame opposite said chuck plate, means supported on said frame for rotatably driving said chuck plate, a pair of roller carriers n'iovably supported on said frame, a seaming roller on inch of said carriers, said carriers being independently movable in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said chuck plate into a seaming position against the rim of said chuck plate, a driving lever pivotally mounted in said frame, and an independent link connection between. each of said carriers and said driving lever arranged to alternately bring said seaming rollers into seaming position upon predetermined angular movement of said driving lever, means for independently determining the limit of the forward movement of each of said rollers into seaming position. and means for adjustahly varying the range of the angular movement of said lever.

19. In a can seaming machine of the class described, a supporting frame, a transverse member on one side of the frame, a oriving chuck plate mounted on said transv-z-irse member, a lifter plate on said frame opposite said chuck plate, means supported. on aid frame for rotatably driving said chuck plate, a pair of roller carriers movably su iporred on said frame, a seaming roller on each of carriers, said carriers being independsai l ently movable in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of sa1d chuck plate, into a seaming position against the rim of said chuck plate, a driving lever pivotally mounted in said frame and an independent link connection between each of said carriers and said driving lever arranged to alternately bring said seaming rollers into seaming position upon predetermined angular movement of said driving lever, means for indepemlent determining the limit of the forward mo ment of each of said rollers into seamir 7 position, and means for adjustably varying the connections of said links between said driving lever and said *arrier members to independently vary the range of the movement of said rollers.

In a can sean'iing machine of the class described, a supporting frame, a transverse member on one side of the frame, a driving chuck plate mounted on said transverse member, a lifter plate on said frame opposite said chuck plate, means supported on said frame fr rotatably driving said chuck plate, a pair roller carriers movably supported on said frame, a seaming roller on -ch said (ferric: I id carriers being inde- "ly iovabli in a plane substantially plane of said chuck plate into posit on against the rim of said I g lever pivotally mounted in saie finale, and an independent link conuectmn between each of said carriers and said drivin lever arranged to alternately bring said seaming rollers into seaming position upon n'edeterniined angular movement of said driving lever, means for independently determining the limit of the forward moven'ient of each of said rollers into position means for adjustably varyangular movement of range or the JULES WERY. 

